Refrigerator latch



Jan. 20, 1931. r o. M. SUMMERS 1,789,394

REFRIGERATOR LATCH Filed Feb. 27,1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 zo v /7}/8 V gnve nk c a Gttozneq;

Jan. 20, 1931. 03M. SUMMERS ,78

REFRIGERATOR LATCH Filed Fb. 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Jan. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFHCE OTTO M. SUMMERS, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO FRIGIDAIRE CORPORATION, OF

. DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE REFRIGERATOR LATCH- Application filed February 27, 1928. Serial No. 257,302.

This invention relates to improvements in latches for refrigerator cabinets.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved latch whose operating mechanism is concealed from view and whose operating parts are relatively simple and easily assembled.

It is another object of the invention to provide a latch whose operative mechanism is composed of relatively flat members which when assembled occupy a relatively small space so that in mounting the same in position-within the woodwork of a door it is not necessary to cut away much of the woodwork.

It is a further object to construct the latch so that the metal lining of the refrigerator cabinet may be draped over the same, leaving only the latching elements exposed for engagement.

With these and further objects in view the invention contemplates providing a latch composed of a locking member concealed from view in a recess on a portion of the cabinet and operated by a handle accessible from the exterior of the cabinet and which locking member cooperates with a yieldable keeper likewise concealed from view and slidably mounted on another portion of the cabinet and in operative proximity to said locking member.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing. wherein a pre ferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a refrigerator cabinet provided with the improved latch;

Fig. 2 is a section through the door of the refrigerator taken on line 22 of Fig. 4 showing the mechanism viewed from the top down with the latch mechanism in section;

Fig. 3 shows the yieldable keeper which cooperates with the latch;

Fig. 4 is a view showing the latch in closed position;

' Fig. 5 shows the same in open position;

Fig. 6 is a side view showing the hook member of the latch, and

Fig. 7 shows the elements of the latching mechanism in operative relation to each other.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the improved latch comprises a sliding resilientis preferably, although not necessarily mounted in the frame of the door, and which keeper cooperates with a latching member manipulated by suitable mechanism and carried preferably by the door itself. It is of course obvious that the positions of the parts may be reversed and that the keeper may be placed on the door and the latching member on the frame.

Referring in detail to Fig. 3, the keeper comprises a plate 10 which is slidably jornalled in a frame or guideway 11 so that it may move vertically with respect to the refrigerator cabinet. It is biased to its uppermost limit of travel by means of a coil spring 12 which is preferably of the retractile type and which is hooked to the plate at 13 and suitably fastened to a portion of the frame as at 14.. This spring as well as the plate and its frame are preferably countersunk below the surface of the wood. A lin1- iting plate or anvil 15 fastened to the door frame as by screws 16 may be used as a stop for limiting the upward movement of the plate.

This anvil may of course comprise an integral part of the guide frame 11 carrying the plate 10. Carried by the plate 10 is a keeper which consists of a stud shaft 17 secured at right angles to the plate and carrying a roller 18. This roller when the plate 10 is depressed by the latch hereinafter described sinks into a depression 19 provided therefor in the guide frame 11, which depression serves as a lower anvil or limiting stop. This keeper system is so arranged and so countersunk into the door frame that it is substantially entirely concealed when the lining or casing of the refrigerator is ap-v plied to the cabinet.

The keeper system above described cooply mounted keeper shown in Fig. 3 which erates with a latch system of the following type Alatching-member whose face'portion is indicated by 20 in Fig. 6 is formed of a plate 21 lying in the same plane as the panel of the door as shown in Fig. 4 and has a latching nose 20 bent at right angles thereto and facing inwardly toward the interior of the re-' frigerator. This plate 21 is pivoted as at 30 and has a lug 23 into which hooks a retractile spring 24 which tends to hold the plate 21 and therefore its latching nose 20 in the locking position shown in Fig. 4, that is, the system is biased to the left as viewed in the drawing to correspond with a door of the type chosen by way of illustration in Fig. 1. The latching nose 20 of Fig. 6 will therefore tend to remain biased toward the left. This nose is provided with an inclined face 25 so that it may slide over the roller 18 of the keeper system and engage the same when the door is slammed shut.

Referring now in detail to the mechanism provided for operating the latching nose20 and its carrying plate 21, a'cam 26 is provided which bears against a cut-away portion 27 shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. This cam is journalled in a bearing ring 28 and the end of the shaft carrying the cam is preferably squared as at 29 for the reception of a handle. The plate 21, cam 26 and cam journal 28 are formed into a structure which is preferably countersunk within the woodwork of the door since these members are relatively fiat and do not require removal,

of much of the woodwork for positioning the latch. A- plate 22 which carries the can] journal 28 may be used to unite the structure into a composite assembly. The cam journal 28 may be provided with internal threads as shown in Fig. 2 for the reception of a handle journalled as hereinafter described.

A handle 31 having a square hole at its end adapted to cooperate with the squared portion of the cam shaft 29 isplaced over the cam shaft and a collar 32 hearing threads adapted to cooperate with the internal threads of the cam bearing 28 is screwed into place and serves to form a bearing for'the handle as well as to keep the same united to the cam shaft.

In operation when the latch is in closed position, the latching nose 20 with its slanting side 25 is kept biased to the left as shown in Fig. 4 and while at the same time the keeper system including plate 10 and roller 18 is kept biased'to its uppermost position. This is the position assumed by both systems when the door is open and the systems at rest. If, now, the door is slammed shut the slant face 25 of the latching nose 20 will ride overthe roller 18 of the yieldable keeper system and cause said keeper to descend although the latching nose will not itself be displaced to any appreeiableextent. When the members moves the latching nose 20 out of engagement with the keeper roller 18. In this condition the door may be opened. The latching nose 20 when the handle is movedto the right does not rise but rather recedes from the roller in a substantiallyhorizontal direction and thus rapidly clears the keeper without dragging. Likewise when the door is closed the keeper instantly slips into engagement, with the hook on the latching nose so that no manipulation of the latch is necessary, it being merely necessary to slam the door shut.

It will be observed that the extremely flat construction of the latching system and of the keeper system which cooperates therewith permits these devices to be countersunk readily without cutting away very much of the material of the door. This countersinking of the operative elements makes it possible to cover the latch structure completely with a lining or metal facing used for covering the refrigerator cabinet. In addition, since the'members used are flat and the stresses and strains are exerted in the direction of the plane of the various elements composing the latch and keeper, the strength of the latch is considerably increased. The various guide plates such as the frame guide 11 or the face plate 34 of the latching member may be secured to the'frame of the door and to the door respectively by means of screws 35 in the well known manner.

While the form of embodiment of the'invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a latch system for a refrigerator door in combination, a door and a frame therefor. a latching means carried by said door, and a keeper system therefor carried by said frame, said keeper comprising a plate movable vertically in said frame and biased to a certain osition, a roller member on said plate and at right angles thereto and forming a keeper member, said latching means comprisinga plate pivoted and adapted to move horizontally in the plane of the panel of said door, a latching nose carried by said plate at right angles thereto and adapted to engage said roller and to move with said plate, and handle means operable from the exterior of said door to disenga e said nose from said roller by operation of said plate.

2. In a system for a refrigerator door, incombination, a door and a frame therefor,

. right angles thereto adapted to slide over said roller of said keeper system and to engage said roller in latching engagement, means for operating said nose including a cam, and a handle for operating said cam.

3. In a latch system fora refrigerator door in combinationfa door and a frame therefor, a latching system and a keeper system cooperating therewith, one of said'systems being carried by said door and the other of said system by said frame, said keeper system comprising a plate adapted to move in a vertical direction and being yieldably biased to a certain position, a roller on said plate forming a keeper member, said latchlng system comprising a plate member disposed parallel with the panel of said door and adapted to move substantially horizontally in the plane of said panel and having a portion thereof bent at right angles to said panel, said bent portion being adapted to engage said roller and to displace said roller during the closing of said door and to hook over said roller in latching engagement therewith and having means manually operable from the exterior of said panel to displace said bent-over portion of said plate from engagement with said keeper.

4. In a latch system for a refrigerator door, in combination a door member and a frame member therefor, a latch system and a keeper system cooperating therewith, one of said systems being carried by said door member and the other of said systems being carried by said frame member, said keeper system comprising a plate yieldingly mounted, a roller secured to said plate with its axis at right angles to the plane of said plate and said latching system comprising a nose member adapted to depress said roller and to engage therewith in latching relation when the door is closed and means to release said latching relation, said last mentioned means moving said nose member out of latching engagement over the free end of said roller.

5. In a latch system for a refrigerator door, in combination a door member and a frame member therefor, a latch system and a keeper system cooperating therewith, one of said systems being carried by said door member and the other of said systems being carried by said frame member, said keeper system comprising a plate yieldingly mounted, a roller secured to said plate with its axis at right angles to the plane of said plate and said latching system com rising a nose member adapted to depress sai roller and to engage therewith in latching relation when the door is closed and means to release said latching relation, said last mentioned means comprising handle means and cam means to move said nose member out of latching engagement over the free end of said roller.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

OTTO SUMMERS. 

